Numerous types of hangers have been used to hang garments, such as clothes racks. Generally the garment, such as a skirt, slacks or pants, is secured by clips to hold the garment on the hanger. In some instances, the hangers have been made in a closed loop configuration with a wire cross-bar on which a pair of clips are mounted to engage a garment, e.g. the clips described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,456,262. The pairs of clips have been adjustable in relative position to one another along the length of the cross-bar in order to accomodate different size garments, and to maintain a garment taut on the hanger.
The manufacture of a hanger with adjustable clips, as hereinabove described, has generally been relatively costly as the clips must first be individually assembled, then assembled onto the hanger rod, and then the hanger rod must be assembled into a garment hanger body. Thus, not only is the assembly time-consuming, but also a multiplicity of different assembly operations are required leading to increased labor and material costs.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,807 to Coon, there is described a garment hanger comprised of an elongated cross-bar and a pair of clips wherein each clip is disposed at a respective end of the cross-bar and includes a pair of jaws and a spring biasing the jaws together. One jaw of each clip is formed integrally with the cross-bar while the other jaw is mounted on the first jaw in abutting pivotal relation on the first jaw and held in place by the spring.